Wiltshire Police to be placed under "special measures"

The full report is being published next week

Author: Jack DeeryPublished 30th Jun 2022

Wiltshire Police is one of six forces who will be placed under special measures by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

A Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy inspection was held recently and they will be placed into the ‘engage’ phase of scrutiny, when the report is published next week.

We do not know yet the reasons why they have been put into special measures.

According to the HMICFRS website, a force enters the Engage process if it is "not responding to a cause of concern, or if it is not succeeding in managing, mitigating or eradicating the cause of concern".

The other forces are the Met, Greater Manchester, Cleveland, Gloucestershire and Staffordshire.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said:

"We have been made aware by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) of their intention to provide closer scrutiny to Wiltshire Police further to their recent PEEL (Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy) inspection, and their intention to move Wiltshire Police to the ‘engage’ phase of scrutiny.

“We welcome the support this approach will offer and we will fully engage with the process.

“We remain focused on ensuring we continually improve and are able to deliver the best possible service to our communities.

“Our full inspection report is due to be published next week, at which that stage we will be able to provide a fuller response on our plans to tackle the areas of concern.”

PCC WELCOMES REPORT

Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner has released a statement saying he is welcoming HMICFRS' intention to provide closer scrutiny.

Philip Wilkinson says:

“My role as PCC is clear: to be the public’s voice on policing, to scrutinise, challenge and support Wiltshire Police to provide an effective, efficient, policing service which meets the needs of its communities and to hold Wiltshire Police to account for the service it provides to the public.

“I am aware of, and welcome, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) intention to provide closer scrutiny to Wiltshire Police further to their recent PEEL (Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy) inspection, and their intention to move Wiltshire Police to the ‘engage’ phase of scrutiny.

“We remain in close contact with the Inspectorate and I will be able to make a more detailed statement once the inspection report has been published in full.”

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